Google on Wednesday will introduce Google Desktop for the Mac (direct download), a new “Universal” application that indexes the contents of a Mac’s hard drive, including applications, files, PDFs, and Web histories from Safari, Firefox, and Camino. The application, which will be released as a beta, will support Spotlight plug-ins and leverage Spotlight privacy features to prevent some documents from being searched. Google Desktop for Mac launches using the Command key (double-tap) and features “live search” that displays the last 10 results instantly, including the file name, a brief description, and highlighted search term. In addition, users can view other extended results in a Google-like webpage in the default browser.

The application includes a new Google application that enables users to stay up-to-date and download other Mac applications from the company. It also integrates with Google’s Web search, offering both the ability to search the local desktop from Google.com (option can be turned off) or find more results from local search on the Web as well as user’s Gmail account.

Google Desktop, installed as a System Preference, creates “snapshots” of indexed local files and other items from search results, enabling users to track certain files that are accidentally deleted or older versions of files, including results from previous Gmail searches when offline. Future versions are expected to include Gadget integration, according to the company.

Google Desktop will run on Mac OS X 10.4 or later on both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs.

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